History of the Library

Reading and higher education have always been a cornerstone in the Gaji family. The roots of this passion can be traced back to Halima’s childhood. Mabruka, recognizing early on that Halima was an exceptionally curious child with a deep desire to question everything around her, sought to nurture this thirst for knowledge. She immersed Halima in the world of books, and despite her demanding schedule as an executive, Mabruka always made time to read with Halima. Books became Halima’s sanctuary from the world, and she dreamt of one day building a personal library. This dream sparked a lifelong mission to preserve every book she ever read.
 
In 2014, Halima immigrated to the United States to live with her father and pursue her education. However, the homesickness she felt led her to seek comfort once again in books. This time, her focus shifted to African history. Halima quickly realized that there was a severe lack of literature about Africa, particularly works written by Africans. Finding such information was rare, and when she did come across it, it seldom reflected African perspectives. Frustrated, she eventually gave up on her search and began channeling her homesickness in other ways.

 
On July 16th, 2018, Mabruka passed away suddenly from an aneurysm, followed by the death of Halima’s grandfather, Usman Gaji, six months later, on January 19th, 2019. Grief-stricken, Halima became unable to read or write, feeling as though the pen, she had relied on for guidance had forsaken her in her time of need.
 

However, while going through news articles, Halima discovered that her grandfather had chaired the Kanem Borno Historical and Cultural Foundation just before his passing. This revelation planted a seed in Halima's mind—one that would eventually come to fruition in 2025.

 
 
In 2025, Halima made the decision to honor her mother and grandfather’s shared love for books and education by creating the first public library in the state of Maiduguri. Below are just a few of the many accomplishments Mabruka and Usman achieved in their lifetimes:
 
 
 
Born in Maiduguri and raised in Lagos, Mabruka earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Mass Communication/Media Studies from the University of Maiduguri. She dedicated her career to the public relations and communications industry as a civil servant. Mabruka began her professional journey in the early 2000s at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, starting as a clerk and eventually working her way up to Chief Information Officer. She held the position of Director at the time of her passing. Throughout her life, Mabruka sponsored over five children, supporting their education from primary school through to undergraduate studies. She also adopted three children and is survived by five children.

 
Usman Gaji was born and raised in Maiduguri during colonial era. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in Administration at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria in 1965. He then pursued further studies at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he earned a Master of Arts in Public and International Affairs (MPIA) in 1967. In September 1972, Usman was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Economic Planning and Political Division at the Military Governor’s Office in the former North-Eastern State. From August 1975 to April 1976, he served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the state. In January 1984, he was appointed Secretary to the Borno State Government, a position he held until August 1987. In September 1987, President Ibrahim Babangida appointed him as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of Chad, a role he held until March 1991. Ambassador Galtimari voluntarily retired from the Federal Public Service in May 1991. His last public office was serving as Chairman of the Kanem Borno Historical and Cultural Foundation, which presented a two-volume publication on the first comprehensive history of the ancient Kanem Borno Empire, titled Kanem Borno: A Thousand Years of Heritage.